2nd suspect charged, other suspect’s charges upgraded in fatal Fall River stabbing

Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn, III announced that Adam James Conners, 29, of Fall River is now officially being charged with Manslaughter in connection to the Saturday night homicide of 39-year-old Joseph Reading.

According to Gregg Miliote of the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office, the defendant, who was already arraigned Monday afternoon on a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon-causing substantial injury, is due back in Fall River District Court on Friday for a dangerousness hearing. It is likely he will be arraigned on the new Manslaughter charge during that upcoming court appearance.

Conners and his co-defendant Mark Costa, 26, of Fall River, were both ordered held without bail pending the results of dangerousness hearings on Friday. Costa is charged only with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon–causing substantial injury.

On Saturday, January 12, at approximately 11:35 p.m., Fall River Police responded to the area of Church and Hall Street for a motor vehicle accident. When officers arrived, they located the victim, Joseph Reading, in the driver’s seat of a motor vehicle bleeding and unresponsive. Reading was transported to St. Anne’s Hospital where he was pronounced deceased. Police investigation revealed that the victim had attended a gathering at 160 Hall Street in Fall River where he was involved in an altercation and was injured.

The investigation is ongoing by the Massachusetts State Police Unit assigned to the Bristol District Attorney’s Office in conjunction with the Fall River Police Department. Assistant District Attorney Patrick Driscoll is prosecuting the cases.